1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of laminated glass windshields with built-in antennas and, more particularly, to an apparatus for soldering a metallic connecting tab to the wire elements forming the windshield antenna.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the use of built-in antennas as an integral part of windshields have become increasingly popular and are gradually replacing the familiar flexible, telescoping rod type antennas, which were mounted exteriorly of an automobile adjacent the right front fender thereof and were extremely susceptible to breakage and pilferage. In perhaps their most popular form, the antenna portions of these antenna windshields are made up of two substantially inverted L shaped lengths of wire which are positioned back-to-back and embedded in the plastic interlayer of an otherwise conventional laminated glass windshield. This form of antenna gives adequate radio reception and, at the same time, is optically acceptable in a windshield because it does not materially affect the appearance or obstruct vision therethrough.
Machines have been developed to apply the antenna wires to and embed the same automatically in the plastic interlayers in precise patterns on successive sheets, as a large volume operation. The free end portions of the antenna wires which project slightly beyond the forward marginal edge of the plastic interlayer, are wrapped about a thin metallic connecting plate or tab and ultimately secured thereto by soldering.
Conventionally, the wires were soldered to the tab at a station remote from the wire laying station and after final lamination. This required the tab to be fixed in place on the antenna wires and embedded in the plastic interlayer by heat and pressure between the various windshield assembling operations. The labor involved and the accessory equipment required in such repeated handling materially increases production costs. Moreover, the loose ends of the antenna wires, which are left dangling beyond the forward marginal edge of the plastic sheet during such repeated handling, often are frayed, broken or otherwise damaged to yield defective and unacceptable products.